1.) Saltzberg, Barney. I Love Cats. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2005. 24 pages. Ages 1 to 4. Genre: Picture book. Language: English The book lists all types of cats which the character loves. The character describes many types of cats, not only their physical appearance, but also the way they act. Some examples are the cats that are not afraid, the cats that are afraid, and the cats that are sleepy. She describes all types of things a child sees cats do. Barney Saltzberg has written and illustrated over 25 different children’s books. He is also a songwriter: some of his songs have been recorded for PBS Arthur.
The book is great for students to discuss how cats behave. This book portrays cats of all colors and sizes. This is helpful for students to see how there are different types of cats. The fact that the character mentions different behaviors and aspects of the cats lets the students see things they themselves can see at home. The students who may read this book may have seen most lives if not all of the cats’ behaviors in real life. Thus this book connects to the students’ life.
2.) Hudson, Cheryl. Hands Can. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2003. 24 pages. Ages 1.5 to 3. Genre: Picture book. Language: English
The book mentions over twenty different things that human hands can do. Some examples of what a hand can do are: wave, plant, hold things and say “I love you”. The book contains a picture for everything hands can do. Cheryl Hudson and her husband created a publishing company called Just for Us, Inc. The company specializes in books for African American children. This book has won two awards: the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award Winner and the Texas Library Association 2X2 Reading List.
I have read this book many times to my baby niece, Sofia Isabel, who is three years old. I began to read this book to her since she was 2. When I read this book to her she tries to imitate some of the things the children are doing with their hands. I recommend this book for a class of young children to motivate them to try different things using their hands. What I love about this book is that there is s picture for everything the author states hands can do. The picture are not a drawings or cartoons, they are pictures of real children. These pictures were taken when the children were doing things with their hands. It is something that student, can connect with by seeing the pictures, even if they do not know how to read.
3.) Gonzalez, Maya. My Colors, My World. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2007. 23 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Picture story book. Language: English, Spanish
“My colors, My world” is a story about a girl who lives on a desert and only the desert sand covers everything; therefore, everything is the same color. However, with her imagination, she discovers other colors in her surroundings. Her favorite color is the pink found in the desert sunset. The author, Maya Gonzalez grew up in the Mojawe desert in Southern California. She has worked with other authors for illustrations. The book won the Pura Belpre Honor Book in 2008.
I like how colorful this book is; every page is very attractive. Some pages bring out life and the colors are just calling out. I believe the book would be great to teach the colors to the students. I believe the art and the colors will be attractive to the students. The story is very simple for young students. Most students can relate to the events that happen in the story, except for the part about the desert. The story brings out the imagination of the character, and this might encourage students to look for colors all around their environment. I recommend teachers to have this book to teach the colors.
4.) Johnson, Angela. Lewis, E.B. Lily Brown’s Paitings. New York: Orchard Books, 2007. 17 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Picture story book. Language: English
The book is about a girl named Lily Brown who loves her life and loves to use her imagination. She draws different things that she sees on her regular days. She adds imagination to all the things she sees. For example, she sees the apples as they are being taken home, and in her imagination they are singing. The author, E.B. Lewis, illustrated the book imitating Van Gogh and Matisse. The book won the award of Correta Scott King.
The book is a great picture story book to have in the classroom library. This book has great illustrations. The book encourages students to be creative with their surroundings and to draw if they please. The book encourages a family of African American descent; this is good for a class to learn about other cultures. We must not always stay with the traditional books created by Caucasians for Caucasians. We must bring books to the room that are let us see other races and cultures.
5.) Soto, Gary. El Maullido de la Gata. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1987. 80 pages. Ages . Genre: Chapter book. Language: Spanish, some English words.
The book is about a girl named Graciela who has a white cat. She hears the white cat speak in English. At first, she is confused about why she the cat speaks, but later, the cat tells her the story about a man down the block who loves to read and knows over 6 different languages. Unfortunately, someone tells the press about the cat who speaks and the man must move away with the cat. As time passes, a new cat with a different color and language comes to visit Graciela. Gary Soto dedicated this book to his daughter’s cat, who once said “mama” instead of “Maui.” Gary Soto was born and raised in Fresno, California. He writes books mostly for young adults and young readers.
I remember reading this book when I was young. My sister bought the book from Scholastic when we were in elementary school. I love how there is a mystery to the way the cat learned to talk. It is something that is a fantasy, but it keeps us wondering what the secret is between the cat and Señor Medina. A very nice detail is how the author brings out a good point in the story: literature is very important to learn. Señor Medina is a person who is very smart and knows many languages because he loves to read; his house is full of books. This can be a great tool to encourage students to read and learn about different cultures.
6.) Alarcón, Francisco. Angels Ride Bikes: Los Ángeles Andan en Bicicleta. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1999. 32 pages. Ages 6 and up. Genre: Poetry, Picture book. Language: English and Spanish
The book contains a collection of poems about the life of the author. The poems are about events that happen in the life of the author as he was growing up in Los Angeles, California. The poems have some traditions, such as listening to the mariachis, day of the death, and Thanksgiving. The author also has poems about his grandmother, his first day of school, and foods that he likes. There is a poem at the end of the book about how the United States is the land of opportunity and he was able to go to college along with his siblings. The book won 4 awards: · 2000 Notable Book for a Global Society Award Winner · 1999 NAPPA—National Parenting Publication Award—Gold Award in the Category of Books of Folklore, Poetry & Song · 1999 Parent's Choice Picture Book Recommendation · 1999 Américas Award Commended Title
These poems remind me of the book A movie in my pillow by Jorge Argueta. Both books are poems about memories of the life of the author, and poems about traditions and events in their childhoods. The difference is that Argueta speaks about El Salvador, and Alarcón speaks about Mexico. Both these books would be great to show how these two cultures are similar and different at the same time. Both of them have events that many students can relate to.
7.) Bernier-Grand, Carmen. Cesar ¡Si se Puede!Yes, We Can!. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2004. 48 pages. Ages 8 and up. Genre: Poetry book. Language: English and some Spanish.
The book contains a collection of poems that describe different events and people of the life of Cesar Chavez. The book is well written and gives a lot of details about Cesar Chavez’s struggles. The poems show Cesar as a hero, which he was. The author, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, grew up in Puerto Rico and has written other children’s books. The book has won the Pura Belpre award for both the text and the illustrations. The book has also won and has been nominated for other awards: Eloise Jarvis McGraw Award Finalist, American Library Association Notable, Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Notable Book for a Global Society, Tomas Rivera Mexican-American, and Children’s Book Award Nominee.
The book is not set as a textbook to teach about Cesar, but in poems to make it easier for the students to understand the life of Cesar Chavez. It can also be used to teach about fighting for what one believes. The book can also teach the message that violence is not the solution to problems, for Cesar solved them with peaceful strikes. The book does not only teach how Cesar has forever changed the way farmers work, but how he lived his life and the person he was. The way the story is told will help the students who live in areas where there are a lot of marches to connect to the different marches they are seeing on television, and the marches their families are probably going to. The book can help the students who are not in the area of the marches understand reasons for the marches.
8.) Argueta, Jorge. A Movie in My Pillow/Una Pelicula en mi Almohada.San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2001. 31 pages. Ages: 8 to 10. Genre: Poetry book. Languge: Both Spanish and English.
A movie in a pillow is a bilingual book that contains poems in both Spanish and English. The book contains stories about a child who has left El Salvador because of the civil war, and is going to live in San Francisco. The book has different memoirs of the child in the form of poems. The author of the book is from El Salvador, and he was raised in San Francisco. He escaped El Salvador when he was young because of the civil war. The poems he has written tell us his story of adjustment to this country. The book has won the following awards: Américas Award for Latin American literature, Skipping Stones Honor Award for Multicultural Literature, IPPY Award for Multicultural Fiction for Juveniles.
This book will be great for students not only to learn about other Hispanic countries and traditions, but also great to learn how to adapt to this country. The book can also explain to other students who are born and raised here how hard it is to adapt to a country with a different language and new traditions. It also contains colorful and creative illustrations that accompany every poem. This book is very similar to the poetry book Angels ride bikes. Both books have events that students can relate to. Both books can be used to compare these two people are from different cultures but experiencing similar events in their lives.
9.) Fritz, Jean. George Washington’s Breakfast. New York: Coward-McCann, INC, 1969. 47 pages. Ages 7 to 11. Genre: Biography. Language: English
This book was a story with much biographic information. George is a child in the 1900s who has the same birthday and the same name as George Washington. He has become obsessed in knowing everything that he can possibly know about George Washington. He does the impossible to find out what George Washington would eat for breakfast. The book offers a lot of information about George Washington and how research was done in the past. Jean Fritz was born in China to American parents. From her childhood, she was always very interested in the culture of America. Therefore, she writes a lot about America.
I enjoyed the book and the enthusiasm of the child to find information about George Washington and the length he went to to find the information. It is a great book to have in the room to show the students how they can set their mind to something and find what they are searching for. The book is also a great tool to introduce George Washington and then move on to more important things about him. It is also a great tool to show how research was done before we had the internet. The way historians do various things to find the answer to their questions is also see in this book.
10.) Paulsen, Gary. (1989). The Winter Room. New York : Orchard Books. 103 pages. Ages:9 to 12. Genre: Realistic fiction. Languge: English.
The book is about two brothers who are growing up on a farm with their family. The story is being told by one of the brothers. He narrates everything that happens on the farm throughout the year in every season. He narrates from his adventures to the work that must be done on the farm. During the winter time, they spent most of their time in a room where their uncle told them stories. The author himself grew up in the area where the book is set. Trying to escape the cold winter, he went into the library to read. This relates to his story of the winter room where the main character listens to stories as they are trying to keep warm. This book has won a Newberry award.
The book is a great to have in a classroom library. If it is a class located in the city, this book will be great to show other students how there are children like them growing up on a farm. This book also depicts life on a farm and how other children have adventures. It also encourages spending time with the family. Storytelling has a big role. In the book, the uncle tells them stories when the family is all together in the winter. The students may connect to this book because they might also sit around and hear stories from older family members.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. London: F. Warne & CO, 2000. 59 pages. Ages 3 to 8. Genre: Traditional Literature. Language: English Peter Rabbit was told by his mother to not to go into the garden of Mr. McGregor because their father had accident in that garden. Peter Rabbit disobeyed his mother and went into the garden. He ate and ate until he could not move. Mr. McGregor found him and chased him. Peter Rabbit could hardly move but he tried. He could hardly make it over the fence because of his belly; in the process he lost his jacket. Beatrix Potter wrote this story to entertain a child who was sick in bed. She wrote a letter with the story and included illustration. Later in her life she borrowed the letters and published the story. The tale teaches a lesson that is very important. The tale shows how a rabbit that disobeys his mom got into trouble and lost his jacket. The book will be great to be in a library for students to learn from the story. The tale is short and it has animals. The painting are very nice, they may be old fashion but traditional. There are different editions with more recent illustrations. Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Two Bad Mice. London: F. Warne & CO, 1989. 59 pages. Ages 3 to 8. Genre: Traditional Literature. Language: English The book is about two bad mice who go to a doll house and they want to steal food. After realizing that the food was hard and was stuck to the plates they went on destroying the house. One of the mice decided that she wanted to take many of the things of the doll house to her house. They stole many things and the nurse of the owner of the house set a trap for the mice. The mice then decided to pay for the things stolen. Beatrix Potter wrote this book as part of entertainment for a sick child. Later on in her life she published the stories. I believe this book is great for the young ages. It’s a cute short tale of animals. The two mice have learned that they should not steal or damage other people’s properties and they pay for what they did. The illustrations are very detailed and nice. In recent publications the illustrations are more colorful. Dayrell, Elphinstone. Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996. 32 pages. Ages 4 to 8. Genre: Traditional Literature. Language: English This book illustrates the story of how the sun and moon ended up in the sky and why they must remain there. The sun visited the water many times, they were great friends. However the water never visited the sun. The water told the sun why he never visited, because the sun did not have a big house to receive all of the friends and family that come with the water. The sun decided to build a house and invited the water. But the house was full of the guests that the sun and the moon had to go up to the sky. The book has won the Caldecott Honor. The book is an African folktale that explains their version of the sky. I believe this book is great to have in a class because we need to bring more books from other cultures. In this country for many years we have had only books from the “white” people. This book will be great in bringing culture and points of views from other countries. This story does not necessarily come from a specific tribe in Africa but it has illustrations that have been inspired by African art. The students will be able to see how there are different art and learn to appreciate it. Salinas, Bobbi. The Three Pigs/Los Tres Cerdos: Nacho, Tito, and Miguel. Oakland: Pinata Publications, 2005. 24 pages. Ages 3 and up. Genre: Contemporary Fantasy. Language: English and Spanish The story is about the three little pigs, yet it is told differently from the original version. In this story the wolf tries to trick the last pig to leave the house by inviting him to different places, yet the pig is too smart to fall for the tricks. He then finds a way to rescue his brothers from the wolf. The author Bobbi Salinas is also the illustrator of the book. She was born on the east side of Los Angeles and study there. The book won the award of Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s book award. This book is great to show a different version of the tradition. The book shows that a week pig was able to outsmart a wolf. The art in this book is amazing; if you look in the background of the pictures you find subliminal messages about literature. The art encourages the reader to read more and to read of the Hispanic culture. Deedy, Carmen A. The Library Dragon. Atlanta: Peachtree, 1994. 42 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Contemporary Fantasy. Language: English When a school is looking for a librarian it gets a dragon. The dragon would clean and organized the books and no one was allowed to touch the books. The students were miserable in the library because they could not talk or read. One girl accidently ends in the library and reads a story out loud. Everyone was interested with the story and even the dragon came to listen. Out of nowhere we don’t see the dragon anymore but a woman. This caused things to change. Carmen Deedy was born in Cuba and immigrated with her family during the Cuban revolution to United States . The book has won all this awards: 2003 Children's title that represented GA at the National Book Festival/GA Center for the Book, 2002 Volunteer State Book Award Nominee, 2002 Georgia Top 25 Reading List/ Georgia Center for the Book, 1999 Wyoming Library Association Children's Book Award (Nominee), 1999 Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Nominee, 1997 Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (North Dakota), 1997 Florida Reading Association Children's Book Award, 1997 Young Hoosier Book Award-Indiana (Nominee), 1997 Colorado Children's Book Award (Nominee), 1996 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award (Nominee). This book I believe will be great to have in a library. First of all it’s good because it is set in an actually library. Many children may grow being afraid of the librarian or teacher. This book can help them understand that the librarian or teacher is just another person with feelings. The illustrations are very colorful! In the illustrations you can read things in the background. I think the illustrated did a wonderful job with the book. Anzaldua, Gloria. Friends from the Other Side; Amigos del Otro Lado. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1993. 34 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction. Language: English and Spanish. This book is about a girl who lives in Texas and she meets a boy from the other side. The book crossed the river with his mom and was living illegally in United States. She defends him from boys who treated him wrong for being a “wetback.” At the end of the story she helps him and his mom hide from immigration. Gloria Anzaldua was born in Texas and was the sixth generation in United States. This story is very powerful and it must be in a classroom library. The book touches a very realistic event. Immigration is a big issue in United States. The children become friends even with their difference. It can help open the minds of students accept others even immigrants. There is the issue of the lady helping them hid from the border patrol. Even though its illegal you can see how important he has become to the girl. Lomas, Carmen. In my Family: En mi Familia. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1996. 32 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Autobiography. Language: English and Spanish. In this book Lomas illustrates different events of her life and gives a description. Some of the events are the home treatments, the parties, the get together of the family, and other traditional events. This is a sequel to the book “Family portraits: Cuadros de Familia.” All the pictures have to do with her life in United States and how they kept alive their Mexican heritage. Lomas began to paint at the age of 13 everything she could paint. She went to college to study art and never had children; she considers her paintings her children. The book has won the following awards: 1997 Tomás Rivera Children's Book Award, 1997 Pura Belpré Honor Award from the American Library Association, 1997—1998 Texas Bluebonnet Master List, 1997 Skipping Stones Book Award Winner, Hungry Mind Review "Children's Books of Distinction" Award, 1997 International Reading Association Notable Books for a Global Society Choice, 1996 Américas Picture Book Award. The book is a must have in the library. The book is a great example of teaching about cultures to the students. The students can learn about the traditions in another culture. If the class is of Mexicans students they can connect to the events in the story. I can connect to many events in this story. She has a picture of a home treatment with fire; this reminds me of how my dad will cure us when we had fever. The next day we were feeling better. I can connect to the stories of the La LLorona. I am sure many other students can find a way to connect to the pictures and the stories in this book. Taylor, Theodore. The Cay. New York: Dell Yearling, 2002. 137 pages. Ages 9-12. Genre: Survival Fiction. Language: English The story is based in 1942, during the time of racisms. A boy Phillip is traveling with his parents who absolutely hate black people. One day an accident happens and Phillip ends up stranded in an island with a black man. Phillip became temporarily blind and timothy was very patient and generous. He helped Phillip in everything that was needed, even saved his life. Taylor heard a story about an 11 year old boy who tried to save his life by swimming to a raft, but was lost. He imagined this boy and from this created the story. This book has won the following awards: 1969 Award of the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People, 1970 Jane Addams Book Award, 1970 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, 1970 Commonwealth Club (of California) Award, 1971 Kansas William White Award. This story does not only show how a child has survived in a very difficult situation, but it also has a very important message, racism. In the book the child had heard bad things about the black people because of his parents. In these generations there are still parents who are racists and influence their children to be racists as well. In the story Phillip learns to accept Timothy. Phillip is temporarily blind so he does not really see the color of Timothy, but knows he is black because he saw him before he went blind. There is a line in the story that is very important “Timothy, are you still black?” The child has moved on from thinking of color, and has accepted this man. This book can be great to show students that they can be different from their parents and accept people who are different. Sachar, Louis. Holes. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 2001. 233 pages. Ages 10-14. Genre: Young Novel. Language: English The story is about Stanley Yentels who is being punished for something he did not do. He is sent to Camp Green Lake. In this camp the children who are being punished must dig holes all day. The warden believes the kids will become discipline if they dig holes. Stanley begins to find the truth about the camp and the reason for the holes. He even finds a treasure box that belongs to his family. The book has won the following awards; 1999 Newbery Medal, 1998 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award, William White Award|Kansas William White Award, Maine Student Book Award, Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award, Massachusetts Children's Book Award, Missouri Mark Twain Award, New Jersey Garden State Teen Book Award, New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award, North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award, Ohio Buckeye Children's Book Award, Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award, Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award, Pennsylvania Keystone State Reading Association Book Award, Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award, Texas Lone Star Reading List, Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fischer Book Award, Washington Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, Wisconsin Golden Archer Book Award, Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award. The book is very funny and entertaining. There is a lot of mystery in the story. In some parts it can be complicated, but as we keep reading the truth comes more and more.
Maria Platero
Annotated Bibliography
Group One: June 3, 2008
1.) Saltzberg, Barney. I Love Cats. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2005. 24 pages. Ages 1 to 4. Genre: Picture book. Language: English
The book lists all types of cats which the character loves. The character describes many types of cats, not only their physical appearance, but also the way they act. Some examples are the cats that are not afraid, the cats that are afraid, and the cats that are sleepy. She describes all types of things a child sees cats do. Barney Saltzberg has written and illustrated over 25 different children’s books. He is also a songwriter: some of his songs have been recorded for PBS Arthur.
The book is great for students to discuss how cats behave. This book portrays cats of all colors and sizes. This is helpful for students to see how there are different types of cats. The fact that the character mentions different behaviors and aspects of the cats lets the students see things they themselves can see at home. The students who may read this book may have seen most lives if not all of the cats’ behaviors in real life. Thus this book connects to the students’ life.
2.) Hudson, Cheryl. Hands Can. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2003. 24 pages. Ages 1.5 to 3. Genre: Picture book. Language: English
The book mentions over twenty different things that human hands can do. Some examples of what a hand can do are: wave, plant, hold things and say “I love you”. The book contains a picture for everything hands can do. Cheryl Hudson and her husband created a publishing company called Just for Us, Inc. The company specializes in books for African American children. This book has won two awards: the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award Winner and the Texas Library Association 2X2 Reading List.
I have read this book many times to my baby niece, Sofia Isabel, who is three years old. I began to read this book to her since she was 2. When I read this book to her she tries to imitate some of the things the children are doing with their hands. I recommend this book for a class of young children to motivate them to try different things using their hands. What I love about this book is that there is s picture for everything the author states hands can do. The picture are not a drawings or cartoons, they are pictures of real children. These pictures were taken when the children were doing things with their hands. It is something that student, can connect with by seeing the pictures, even if they do not know how to read.
3.) Gonzalez, Maya. My Colors, My World. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2007. 23 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Picture story book. Language: English, Spanish
“My colors, My world” is a story about a girl who lives on a desert and only the desert sand covers everything; therefore, everything is the same color. However, with her imagination, she discovers other colors in her surroundings. Her favorite color is the pink found in the desert sunset. The author, Maya Gonzalez grew up in the Mojawe desert in Southern California. She has worked with other authors for illustrations. The book won the Pura Belpre Honor Book in 2008.
I like how colorful this book is; every page is very attractive. Some pages bring out life and the colors are just calling out. I believe the book would be great to teach the colors to the students. I believe the art and the colors will be attractive to the students. The story is very simple for young students. Most students can relate to the events that happen in the story, except for the part about the desert. The story brings out the imagination of the character, and this might encourage students to look for colors all around their environment. I recommend teachers to have this book to teach the colors.
4.) Johnson, Angela. Lewis, E.B. Lily Brown’s Paitings. New York: Orchard Books, 2007. 17 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Picture story book. Language: English
The book is about a girl named Lily Brown who loves her life and loves to use her imagination. She draws different things that she sees on her regular days. She adds imagination to all the things she sees. For example, she sees the apples as they are being taken home, and in her imagination they are singing. The author, E.B. Lewis, illustrated the book imitating Van Gogh and Matisse. The book won the award of Correta Scott King.
The book is a great picture story book to have in the classroom library. This book has great illustrations. The book encourages students to be creative with their surroundings and to draw if they please. The book encourages a family of African American descent; this is good for a class to learn about other cultures. We must not always stay with the traditional books created by Caucasians for Caucasians. We must bring books to the room that are let us see other races and cultures.
5.) Soto, Gary. El Maullido de la Gata. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1987. 80 pages. Ages . Genre: Chapter book. Language: Spanish, some English words.
The book is about a girl named Graciela who has a white cat. She hears the white cat speak in English. At first, she is confused about why she the cat speaks, but later, the cat tells her the story about a man down the block who loves to read and knows over 6 different languages. Unfortunately, someone tells the press about the cat who speaks and the man must move away with the cat. As time passes, a new cat with a different color and language comes to visit Graciela. Gary Soto dedicated this book to his daughter’s cat, who once said “mama” instead of “Maui.” Gary Soto was born and raised in Fresno, California. He writes books mostly for young adults and young readers.
I remember reading this book when I was young. My sister bought the book from Scholastic when we were in elementary school. I love how there is a mystery to the way the cat learned to talk. It is something that is a fantasy, but it keeps us wondering what the secret is between the cat and Señor Medina. A very nice detail is how the author brings out a good point in the story: literature is very important to learn. Señor Medina is a person who is very smart and knows many languages because he loves to read; his house is full of books. This can be a great tool to encourage students to read and learn about different cultures.
6.) Alarcón, Francisco. Angels Ride Bikes: Los Ángeles Andan en Bicicleta. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1999. 32 pages. Ages 6 and up. Genre: Poetry, Picture book. Language: English and Spanish
The book contains a collection of poems about the life of the author. The poems are about events that happen in the life of the author as he was growing up in Los Angeles, California. The poems have some traditions, such as listening to the mariachis, day of the death, and Thanksgiving. The author also has poems about his grandmother, his first day of school, and foods that he likes. There is a poem at the end of the book about how the United States is the land of opportunity and he was able to go to college along with his siblings. The book won 4 awards:
· 2000 Notable Book for a Global Society Award Winner
· 1999 NAPPA—National Parenting Publication Award—Gold Award in the Category of Books of Folklore, Poetry & Song
· 1999 Parent's Choice Picture Book Recommendation
· 1999 Américas Award Commended Title
These poems remind me of the book A movie in my pillow by Jorge Argueta. Both books are poems about memories of the life of the author, and poems about traditions and events in their childhoods. The difference is that Argueta speaks about El Salvador, and Alarcón speaks about Mexico. Both these books would be great to show how these two cultures are similar and different at the same time. Both of them have events that many students can relate to.
7.) Bernier-Grand, Carmen. Cesar ¡Si se Puede! Yes, We Can!. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2004. 48 pages. Ages 8 and up. Genre: Poetry book. Language: English and some Spanish.
The book contains a collection of poems that describe different events and people of the life of Cesar Chavez. The book is well written and gives a lot of details about Cesar Chavez’s struggles. The poems show Cesar as a hero, which he was. The author, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, grew up in Puerto Rico and has written other children’s books. The book has won the Pura Belpre award for both the text and the illustrations. The book has also won and has been nominated for other awards: Eloise Jarvis McGraw Award Finalist, American Library Association Notable, Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Notable Book for a Global Society, Tomas Rivera Mexican-American, and Children’s Book Award Nominee.
The book is not set as a textbook to teach about Cesar, but in poems to make it easier for the students to understand the life of Cesar Chavez. It can also be used to teach about fighting for what one believes. The book can also teach the message that violence is not the solution to problems, for Cesar solved them with peaceful strikes. The book does not only teach how Cesar has forever changed the way farmers work, but how he lived his life and the person he was. The way the story is told will help the students who live in areas where there are a lot of marches to connect to the different marches they are seeing on television, and the marches their families are probably going to. The book can help the students who are not in the area of the marches understand reasons for the marches.
8.) Argueta, Jorge. A Movie in My Pillow/Una Pelicula en mi Almohada.San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2001. 31 pages. Ages: 8 to 10. Genre: Poetry book. Languge: Both Spanish and English.
A movie in a pillow is a bilingual book that contains poems in both Spanish and English. The book contains stories about a child who has left El Salvador because of the civil war, and is going to live in San Francisco. The book has different memoirs of the child in the form of poems. The author of the book is from El Salvador, and he was raised in San Francisco. He escaped El Salvador when he was young because of the civil war. The poems he has written tell us his story of adjustment to this country. The book has won the following awards: Américas Award for Latin American literature, Skipping Stones Honor Award for Multicultural Literature, IPPY Award for Multicultural Fiction for Juveniles.
This book will be great for students not only to learn about other Hispanic countries and traditions, but also great to learn how to adapt to this country. The book can also explain to other students who are born and raised here how hard it is to adapt to a country with a different language and new traditions. It also contains colorful and creative illustrations that accompany every poem. This book is very similar to the poetry book Angels ride bikes. Both books have events that students can relate to. Both books can be used to compare these two people are from different cultures but experiencing similar events in their lives.
9.) Fritz, Jean. George Washington’s Breakfast. New York: Coward-McCann, INC, 1969. 47 pages. Ages 7 to 11. Genre: Biography. Language: English
This book was a story with much biographic information. George is a child in the 1900s who has the same birthday and the same name as George Washington. He has become obsessed in knowing everything that he can possibly know about George Washington. He does the impossible to find out what George Washington would eat for breakfast. The book offers a lot of information about George Washington and how research was done in the past. Jean Fritz was born in China to American parents. From her childhood, she was always very interested in the culture of America. Therefore, she writes a lot about America.
I enjoyed the book and the enthusiasm of the child to find information about George Washington and the length he went to to find the information. It is a great book to have in the room to show the students how they can set their mind to something and find what they are searching for. The book is also a great tool to introduce George Washington and then move on to more important things about him. It is also a great tool to show how research was done before we had the internet. The way historians do various things to find the answer to their questions is also see in this book.
10.) Paulsen, Gary. (1989). The Winter Room. New York : Orchard Books. 103 pages. Ages:9 to 12. Genre: Realistic fiction. Languge: English.
The book is about two brothers who are growing up on a farm with their family. The story is being told by one of the brothers. He narrates everything that happens on the farm throughout the year in every season. He narrates from his adventures to the work that must be done on the farm. During the winter time, they spent most of their time in a room where their uncle told them stories. The author himself grew up in the area where the book is set. Trying to escape the cold winter, he went into the library to read. This relates to his story of the winter room where the main character listens to stories as they are trying to keep warm. This book has won a Newberry award.
The book is a great to have in a classroom library. If it is a class located in the city, this book will be great to show other students how there are children like them growing up on a farm. This book also depicts life on a farm and how other children have adventures. It also encourages spending time with the family. Storytelling has a big role. In the book, the uncle tells them stories when the family is all together in the winter. The students may connect to this book because they might also sit around and hear stories from older family members.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. London: F. Warne & CO, 2000. 59 pages. Ages 3 to 8. Genre: Traditional Literature. Language: English
Peter Rabbit was told by his mother to not to go into the garden of Mr. McGregor because their father had accident in that garden. Peter Rabbit disobeyed his mother and went into the garden. He ate and ate until he could not move. Mr. McGregor found him and chased him. Peter Rabbit could hardly move but he tried. He could hardly make it over the fence because of his belly; in the process he lost his jacket. Beatrix Potter wrote this story to entertain a child who was sick in bed. She wrote a letter with the story and included illustration. Later in her life she borrowed the letters and published the story.
The tale teaches a lesson that is very important. The tale shows how a rabbit that disobeys his mom got into trouble and lost his jacket. The book will be great to be in a library for students to learn from the story. The tale is short and it has animals. The painting are very nice, they may be old fashion but traditional. There are different editions with more recent illustrations.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Two Bad Mice. London: F. Warne & CO, 1989. 59 pages. Ages 3 to 8. Genre: Traditional Literature. Language: English
The book is about two bad mice who go to a doll house and they want to steal food. After realizing that the food was hard and was stuck to the plates they went on destroying the house. One of the mice decided that she wanted to take many of the things of the doll house to her house. They stole many things and the nurse of the owner of the house set a trap for the mice. The mice then decided to pay for the things stolen. Beatrix Potter wrote this book as part of entertainment for a sick child. Later on in her life she published the stories.
I believe this book is great for the young ages. It’s a cute short tale of animals. The two mice have learned that they should not steal or damage other people’s properties and they pay for what they did. The illustrations are very detailed and nice. In recent publications the illustrations are more colorful.
Dayrell, Elphinstone. Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996. 32 pages. Ages 4 to 8. Genre: Traditional Literature. Language: English
This book illustrates the story of how the sun and moon ended up in the sky and why they must remain there. The sun visited the water many times, they were great friends. However the water never visited the sun. The water told the sun why he never visited, because the sun did not have a big house to receive all of the friends and family that come with the water. The sun decided to build a house and invited the water. But the house was full of the guests that the sun and the moon had to go up to the sky. The book has won the Caldecott Honor.
The book is an African folktale that explains their version of the sky. I believe this book is great to have in a class because we need to bring more books from other cultures. In this country for many years we have had only books from the “white” people. This book will be great in bringing culture and points of views from other countries. This story does not necessarily come from a specific tribe in Africa but it has illustrations that have been inspired by African art. The students will be able to see how there are different art and learn to appreciate it.
Salinas, Bobbi. The Three Pigs/Los Tres Cerdos: Nacho, Tito, and Miguel. Oakland: Pinata Publications, 2005. 24 pages. Ages 3 and up. Genre: Contemporary Fantasy. Language: English and Spanish
The story is about the three little pigs, yet it is told differently from the original version. In this story the wolf tries to trick the last pig to leave the house by inviting him to different places, yet the pig is too smart to fall for the tricks. He then finds a way to rescue his brothers from the wolf. The author Bobbi Salinas is also the illustrator of the book. She was born on the east side of Los Angeles and study there. The book won the award of Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s book award.
This book is great to show a different version of the tradition. The book shows that a week pig was able to outsmart a wolf. The art in this book is amazing; if you look in the background of the pictures you find subliminal messages about literature. The art encourages the reader to read more and to read of the Hispanic culture.
Deedy, Carmen A. The Library Dragon. Atlanta: Peachtree, 1994. 42 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Contemporary Fantasy. Language: English
When a school is looking for a librarian it gets a dragon. The dragon would clean and organized the books and no one was allowed to touch the books. The students were miserable in the library because they could not talk or read. One girl accidently ends in the library and reads a story out loud. Everyone was interested with the story and even the dragon came to listen. Out of nowhere we don’t see the dragon anymore but a woman. This caused things to change. Carmen Deedy was born in Cuba and immigrated with her family during the Cuban revolution to United States . The book has won all this awards: 2003 Children's title that represented GA at the National Book Festival/GA Center for the Book, 2002 Volunteer State Book Award Nominee, 2002 Georgia Top 25 Reading List/ Georgia Center for the Book, 1999 Wyoming Library Association Children's Book Award (Nominee), 1999 Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Nominee, 1997 Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (North Dakota), 1997 Florida Reading Association Children's Book Award, 1997 Young Hoosier Book Award-Indiana (Nominee), 1997 Colorado Children's Book Award (Nominee), 1996 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award (Nominee).
This book I believe will be great to have in a library. First of all it’s good because it is set in an actually library. Many children may grow being afraid of the librarian or teacher. This book can help them understand that the librarian or teacher is just another person with feelings. The illustrations are very colorful! In the illustrations you can read things in the background. I think the illustrated did a wonderful job with the book.
Anzaldua, Gloria. Friends from the Other Side; Amigos del Otro Lado. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1993. 34 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction. Language: English and Spanish.
This book is about a girl who lives in Texas and she meets a boy from the other side. The book crossed the river with his mom and was living illegally in United States. She defends him from boys who treated him wrong for being a “wetback.” At the end of the story she helps him and his mom hide from immigration. Gloria Anzaldua was born in Texas and was the sixth generation in United States.
This story is very powerful and it must be in a classroom library. The book touches a very realistic event. Immigration is a big issue in United States. The children become friends even with their difference. It can help open the minds of students accept others even immigrants. There is the issue of the lady helping them hid from the border patrol. Even though its illegal you can see how important he has become to the girl.
Lomas, Carmen. In my Family: En mi Familia. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1996. 32 pages. Ages 4-8. Genre: Autobiography. Language: English and Spanish.
In this book Lomas illustrates different events of her life and gives a description. Some of the events are the home treatments, the parties, the get together of the family, and other traditional events. This is a sequel to the book “Family portraits: Cuadros de Familia.” All the pictures have to do with her life in United States and how they kept alive their Mexican heritage. Lomas began to paint at the age of 13 everything she could paint. She went to college to study art and never had children; she considers her paintings her children. The book has won the following awards: 1997 Tomás Rivera Children's Book Award, 1997 Pura Belpré Honor Award from the American Library Association, 1997—1998 Texas Bluebonnet Master List, 1997 Skipping Stones Book Award Winner, Hungry Mind Review "Children's Books of Distinction" Award, 1997 International Reading Association Notable Books for a Global Society Choice, 1996 Américas Picture Book Award.
The book is a must have in the library. The book is a great example of teaching about cultures to the students. The students can learn about the traditions in another culture. If the class is of Mexicans students they can connect to the events in the story. I can connect to many events in this story. She has a picture of a home treatment with fire; this reminds me of how my dad will cure us when we had fever. The next day we were feeling better. I can connect to the stories of the La LLorona. I am sure many other students can find a way to connect to the pictures and the stories in this book.
Taylor, Theodore. The Cay. New York: Dell Yearling, 2002. 137 pages. Ages 9-12. Genre: Survival Fiction. Language: English
The story is based in 1942, during the time of racisms. A boy Phillip is traveling with his parents who absolutely hate black people. One day an accident happens and Phillip ends up stranded in an island with a black man. Phillip became temporarily blind and timothy was very patient and generous. He helped Phillip in everything that was needed, even saved his life. Taylor heard a story about an 11 year old boy who tried to save his life by swimming to a raft, but was lost. He imagined this boy and from this created the story. This book has won the following awards: 1969 Award of the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People, 1970 Jane Addams Book Award, 1970 Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, 1970 Commonwealth Club (of California) Award, 1971 Kansas William White Award.
This story does not only show how a child has survived in a very difficult situation, but it also has a very important message, racism. In the book the child had heard bad things about the black people because of his parents. In these generations there are still parents who are racists and influence their children to be racists as well. In the story Phillip learns to accept Timothy. Phillip is temporarily blind so he does not really see the color of Timothy, but knows he is black because he saw him before he went blind. There is a line in the story that is very important “Timothy, are you still black?” The child has moved on from thinking of color, and has accepted this man. This book can be great to show students that they can be different from their parents and accept people who are different.
Sachar, Louis. Holes. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 2001. 233 pages. Ages 10-14. Genre: Young Novel. Language: English
The story is about Stanley Yentels who is being punished for something he did not do. He is sent to Camp Green Lake. In this camp the children who are being punished must dig holes all day. The warden believes the kids will become discipline if they dig holes. Stanley begins to find the truth about the camp and the reason for the holes. He even finds a treasure box that belongs to his family. The book has won the following awards; 1999 Newbery Medal, 1998 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award, William White Award|Kansas William White Award, Maine Student Book Award, Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award, Massachusetts Children's Book Award, Missouri Mark Twain Award, New Jersey Garden State Teen Book Award, New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award, North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award, Ohio Buckeye Children's Book Award, Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award, Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award, Pennsylvania Keystone State Reading Association Book Award, Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award, Texas Lone Star Reading List, Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fischer Book Award, Washington Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, Wisconsin Golden Archer Book Award, Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award.
The book is very funny and entertaining. There is a lot of mystery in the story. In some parts it can be complicated, but as we keep reading the truth comes more and more.